Portland Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Portland, Indiana 47371
Saturday, November 12, 1994 11:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING THE AIRPLANE TOUCH DOWN FOLLOWED BY THE APPLICATION OF POWER. THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO VEER TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY PRIOR TO LIFTING OFF. THE AIRPLANE ENTERED WHAT WAS DESCRIBED AS A 80 NOSE UP ATTITUDE AND THEN, ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE NOSE 'FELL OVER' AND THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED TO IMPACT. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED THE NOSE DOWN ELEVATOR CABLE FAILED AT THE ELEVATOR ATTACH POINT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the failure of the elevator control cable attach point and the pilot's subsequent inability to control the airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/12/1994
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1145
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City PORTLAND
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 47371
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PORTLAND MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PLD
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 796
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1145 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 235
Weather Observation Facility ID MIE
Elevation of weather observation facility 937
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 23
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2900
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1869
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 12 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1124
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N95RJ
NTSB Number CHI95LA036
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name LESSEL
Aircraft Model KR-2
Aircraft Series Identifier KR-2
Aircraft Serial Number JL-1
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RALPH N. SMITH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1033 S. JERSEY ST.
Aircraft Owner City BLUFFTON
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 46714
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code PLD
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 3571
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --